Listen to My Story
by Uchiha Karin
Summary: ‘Ne, Sasuke-kun… Would you listen to my story? Many things had happened since that day…’


**Summary : '**Ne, Sasuke-kun… Would you listen to my story? Many things had happened since that day…'**  
Disclaimer : **Do I look like someone who owns Naruto? But I do own this story :D

* * *

**Listen to My Story…**

A pair of emerald orbs gazing at the sky, admiring the nice weather it has today. That wide blue sky, those cotton-like clouds, and the feel of the sunshine on her face. She closed her eyes, drifted to her mind, as the warm wind caress her uncovered skin.

"… _Thank you…_"

Suddenly, she opened her eyes that were starting to wet. She then quickly rubbed it. No, not today, today's a very special day, and she doesn't want to ruin it. This was a good day, and she had promised herself that she won't let a single tear fell of her eyes, not again.

She sighed. Well she managed to control herself. She should be celebrating about it. It wasn't easy; in fact, it was the hardest thing to do for her. She usually would cry herself up, until she fell asleep, and again, dreaming about what made her cried in the first place.

But today, today's different. She had sworn to _him_, that she wouldn't cry for it again, although she's not sure if _he_ even listened to what she'd said. Actually, it was more a whisper, which she addressed to herself. But yeah, it was a promised.

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She doesn't know why she's here in the first place. Her feet took her to this place, this spot, this bench. The same old bench from that painful memory happened a long time ago. A long time ago, but she could recalled it like it was yesterday. She remembered that day, every single detail of it, every single word that person said, nor hers.

It's so weird. She was supposed to be one of the strongest kunnoichi in her village, and also the best medic, that has surpassed her teacher, the Godaime, and yet she couldn't control her own emotion. She once hated herself for being so weak, and she did get strong, but does it worth enough? She was only being stronger on the outside. She forgot that soul and body are different. Being strong in strength doesn't mean you're also having a strong mind.

She once again lifted her head up, watching the fluffy cloud upon her moving slowly. Yes, she was going to do that same routine again. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

"… Ne Sasuke-kun, can you hear me?"

* * *

"I can't believe, it has been that long since that day. The day that I lost you again. I thought you were coming back to us. I thought you would never leave us again, like what you've promised. But who would've guessed? You didn't keep your promise. Well, I knew it wasn't your fault, but I still couldn't believe what they had done to you. I thought, _well hoped_, that they would reconsider your punishment, but yeah, I was wrong once more. I was too naïve, trusting The Elders would go easy on you, since you're the last Uchiha left and you did killed some wanted Shinobis.

"I still can remember the look on your face when Tsunade-shishou told us about The Elders' decisions. Your face didn't change a bit, but I knew something was different in your eyes. It wasn't emotionless like usual, but something's inside. I've seen it before, and I don't need to ask you to make sure I was right, that you were worry about us. About the promise you gave to me and Naruto; a promise that you'll never leave us again.

"And I still can remember how you walked slowly to the center of the field where you'll be executed in front of the whole villagers. I was alone, well I felt that way, since Naruto was being kept away to prevent him from trying to release you, Kakashi-sensei was gone for a mission and Sai… Well, he didn't show up that day. Ino and Hinata were standing beside me, but I knew they didn't stood there only as my friends. They were _told_ to be there, to hold me back, in case I gone insane and trying to rescue you.

"I watch with my breath held as I saw you laid your head down on the board. You looked at me, and again, smirking. Yes, I hate how your face looked. I hate the fact that you could still be like that at the end of your life. I hate that your face looked like saying; '_it was okay, no problem_'. I hate that, even with blurred vision from my tears, I could still recognize your lips mentioning something to me right before you gone.

"… And I hate that… I was just stood there, couldn't do anything besides… Watching in shivers as the sharp slim metal… Moved to your neck, parting… Your head… From your tied up body…"

* * *

There, she cried again. Haruno Sakura, The strongest kunnoichi of Konoha, who was famous for her inhuman strength, the best medic that surpassed Tsunade, the one that has been candidate as the Nandaime, cried. She failed to keep her promised earlier. She failed to prevent herself from crying over the same thing. Her tears bursting out, as that old hurt feeling came through her body. She knew that she has to continue her story no matter what.

* * *

"I really, really want to scream back then. I want to be free from the feelings I had in my heart. Yet my body was numb. Everything in front of me seemed mixed up. I was trying to close my eyes, but it doesn't seem to be working. Although I've put my hands on my eyes, I could still saw you, your lifeless body, in the middle of the field, covered with crimson liquids. Suddenly all I want to do is just to reach you, to run as fast as I could, to put you on my embrace, to see you turn your head in annoyance, and once again said rudely that I was annoying, and these all aren't more than just nightmares that would be over on the morning.

"… Next day I woke up, I'm still hoping that those were just nightmares. I woke up, change, and run as fast as I could to the bridge, where we usually met in the morning. I'm still hoping that, I would see Naruto murmuring how late Kakashi-sensei was and you leaning on the bridge-handle, trying not to listen to his complaining.

"But… That never happened… There was no Naruto there or anyone if that matters. Never again, I would wave to you both when I arrived. Never again, I would hear you and Naruto argue and mock each other. Never again, I would see your trademark smirk whenever you caught us do something wrong. Never again, I would try to get your attention, because you would never be with us anymore…

"Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months passed to years. Not a single day I went through without thinking, and soon crying about you, though I never let my friends to noticed it. Every day I do my usual routines; gone to work, or maybe missions, doing my best as a medic, hang out with my girls, partying, having vacations, just like nothing's happened. I've became a robot. Soulless, yet still moving and having life like usual ninjas. I learnt to fake smiles, like what was Sai's usually do. I learnt to fake laughs, to pretend that I'm happy, and I was able to continue my life without you. All my friends swallowed those things just as I expected. Ino even started to find me a nice boyfriend. Hinata and TenTen were helping too, but things always didn't work out well, and every time, at the end of the day, I would smile at them and said that I'm okay, I just don't want a boyfriend right now, and I'll continue to live on.

"And I lied. I've realized that there won't be anything on my future, because they had killed me. At the time that thing cut out your life, it cut mine too. I was only alive to fulfill my duty as a medic. To heal as many persons as I could, to cure as many sicknesses as I can, while I'm myself dying from this pain on the inside. Yes, you could see me as a tool for our village, our once beloved village. But no one seemed to noticed, except of Naruto…

"Well, speaking of Naruto, he'd fulfilled his dream… He was chosen to be our Rokudaime. I attended the ceremony. I even smiled there, a real one too, because he was so special to me, like a brother I've never had. He was the only one realized about the mask I wore. The only one who bears the same burden as I was. The only one who felt something's missing in our live, and there won't be anything fit to fill that emptiness in our hearts, there won't be anything, or anyone, who could replace your position in our hearts. But he didn't feel it for so long. One year after he was the Hokage, he married Hinata. The ceremony was so beautiful, and Hinata looked so pretty wearing a white kimono with purple motives on its sides. The funny thing is Hinata was almost fainted when they were vowing in front of the altar, and they had to pause the wedding process for ten minutes! Something's never changed, huh?

"Yes I admit I was a little bit jealous. When I was little, I used to day dreamed that one day, I would wear a white kimono with soft pink sakura motives on its side, and when I walked to the altar, I would see you waiting for me, handing me a hand, and stand there as you vowed to be with me until death do us parts. And we would live our fairytale-life together; we moved to your house, I would be the one who took care of you and your stuffs, we would have little Uchihas running through our hall, and I would watch them with a smile on my face as they glomped on you when you came home from your missions. I was wondering, how many children would we have? Three? Four? Or maybe more? I don't know how many you need to restore a clan, but I would do my best to help you fulfilled your life goal. I'm sure you would like to name them, and I don't mind either, but if you let me choose, I would name him Daisuke, or Himawari if she's a girl. And we would watch as our kids grown and be great Shinobis like you, forever just the two of us until us both grown old; you and me, Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Sakura…"

* * *

She laughed a bit at her words. How silly, talking about _her_ childish dreams to _him_. Well, if he could, he would looked at her with annoyance, and back to his usual Uchiha pose, pretending that he doesn't want to heard about it.

She cupped her cheek. Her tears have dried up, leaving some trails on her skin. Almost there, just a little more before her story ends. Oh how she'd always wanted that name; Uchiha Sakura. But there's no point wandering off, her one and only chance had gone, the only lasted Uchiha has passed away, and she definitely won't marry an overly old man just for the name, if you're thinking about Uchiha Madara.

* * *

"Back to the topic. After that, everything just drifted on. Suddenly, everybody was married. So there were Nara Shikamaru and Nara Ino, Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga TenTen, plus obviously Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata. Oh, and Chouji had found a wife too, she wasn't a ninja, but she is a great cook, no wonder he fell for her. Meanwhile, Kiba was dating a girl from outer country, Sai well, being Sai, Lee was also being himself, but for Shino, I didn't know much about him. Our friends from Sunagakure was also married, well except for Gaara, he just haven't found the right one yet. And for our Kakashi-Sensei…

"He was engaged to Anko, do you remember? The female ninja who lead our second chuunin test, but… He was missing on a mission. It has been a long time ago, and last time we knew he was dead. I was so sad, as I counted that he was gone too, to a place where you are…

"Next one to go was Naruto. He really did have a great life. He died while protecting the village from the last fight with Akatsuki. We've paid so much for defeating them. Now there are no more Akatsuki or anything. It's all about people living in peace now. Yeah, living in peace and harmony, together in happiness…"

* * *

A brown haired girl with deep blue eyes walked into the room. She sighed and relaxed after saw her aunt was still there, even though she was sleeping. Her face was so peaceful, and her lips moves slowly, like she was talking to someone the girl couldn't see. The girl smiled, as she walks to her aunt's bed, and sit on her right side,

"Auntie Sakura… You must've been dreaming of him again, aren't you?" she wiped out the long tear trails on her aunt's old-wrinkled cheek.

Suddenly, two faded-green orbs opened themselves, making the girl surprised a bit.

"Oh auntie, did I wake you up?"

"Chizuru… I… I saw him again…" a faded smile was traced on her lips.

"Oh auntie…" the girl named Chizuru hold Sakura's hand slowly. Her Aunt Sakura was so weak, weaker than she was when she stills a little child. Although they didn't have any same blood lines, but her deceased father had told her that he thought Sakura as his sister, so it's fine if she addressed Sakura as her Aunt.

Sakura looked at Chizuru. She was a fine copy of her mother Hinata, but instead of black hair and bright white eyes, she got brown and clear blue ones, for anything else, she's the younger version of Hinata.

Sakura's eyes trails down to her hands, which were pale white, then she looked at her own hand which Chizuru hold. Oh how she never realized that time had really passed. Her hands once was looked like Chizuru's, but now it's all wrinkled, full of old signs everywhere, she smiled at her thought.

Of all her friends, she was now the one who left. Everybody had gone. Her beloved girlfriends, her friends, her team… Everybody has left her on her own, but she never realized it. She never realized that it has been that long since they last met, since she started to lie to them about her life. She just realized that she's all alone for this time.

Suddenly, her mind taking her to another world of imagination again. She saw herself standing in front of the Yamanaka Flower Store, bowing to Ino and said her goodbye. There she lied, that everything was okay, and she pretend that she didn't saw the look on Ino's face when she turned around to go back to her apartment.

She saw herself, on the Hyuuga main house. She sat down with TenTen and Hinata. Both looked so happy, and again she made that fake smiles and laughs when they asked her if she was okay. Then she leaved them, and pretended that she didn't saw the look on their faces when she turned around to go back to her room.

And so many more memories. When she was in the library with Sai, when she was playing shogi with Shikamaru, when she was eating ramen with Naruto and Hinata, when she turned her back when people chose her to be the next Hokage, when she and the others watched Choji stuffed his mouth in Yakiniku Q, when she sat with Lee near the pound where many lotus bloomed, when Tsunade asked her was she alright, when she visited the Inuzuka house and pet their puppies, when she stood and watch as people placing her _brother_ on his last resting place…

… In the field, when she watched in fear as Sasuke whispered '_aishiteru_'…

_Sakura…_

_Sakura?_

_Sakura-_

_Sakura!_

_Sakura-chaaan_

"Chizuru… I think… This is my time…"

Suddenly Chizuru felt her eyes heating. Her hands felt so cold, as she holds Sakura's hand more tightly. But she tried her best to sound like normal.

"W-what are you talking about, Auntie?"

"I can feel it…" Sakura broke her eye contact with Chizuru. "S-Sasuke-kun… He's… Calling me… My friends… They're… Calling… Me."

"N-n-no! What are you talking about? Please, no…" she cried, as she lower her head and place her forehead on her hands, "Auntie… You're the only one I have… Tou-san and Kaa-san has gone… I only have you… Please don't…"

"Don't cry for me, Chizuru-chan…" Sakura stroke Chizuru's short hair slowly, "I'm a loser… I'm weak… I'm a betrayer… I'm a liar… What do you see… In me?"

"I see a hero in you," Sakura looked at her with a confused look, as she continued to talk, "I know you didn't do that on purpose… Tou-san and Kaa-san told me about what you've been through… If I were you, I might have chosen to commit a suicide, but you didn't! You've survived through all of that, and yet still thinking about the others… All those patients of yours... Didn't you realized that you've done so much for everybody?"

Sakura too felt her eyes heating. And she cried again, twice for today… She had failed once more. Exactly ten years ago she'd promised in front of Naruto's grave, that she will not cry again, but every time she betrayed her promise. Everyday she'd cried for her friends, everyday she'd cried for her dreams, everyday she'd cried for her fallen hopes.

"Today… I'll be joining you guys…" She said as she closes her eyes, while hearing Chizuru sobs' getting louder.

...

"…Auntie… Is there anything I could do?"

* * *

A pair of emerald orbs gazing at the sky, admiring the nice weather it has today. That wide blue sky, those cotton-like clouds, and the feel of the sunshine on her face. She closed her eyes, drifted to her mind, as the warm wind caress her uncovered skin.

The old bridge still looks the same from far, though when they get closer, she could see that the bridge was, too, getting older. She sighed and nod to her side. Slowly, Chizuru let go of her hands.

"… Auntie… When you're there…"

Sakura looked back at the young teenager, "… Would you, tell my parents that I missed them? A-and, they don't need to be worried about me, I-I would… Take care of myself…"

Sakura nodded, and smile. One genuine smile, that she hadn't show for a very, very long time. One genuine smile and she looked back to the front.

Once more she closed her eyes, and suddenly she felt a familiar feeling beside her. She slowly opened her eyes and saw them;

Naruto and his trademark grin, waving energetically at her, almost like jumping happily.

Kakashi, still with that perverted orange book in his hand, just took a glance at her and nod, but she could tell that he's smiling under his mask, and…

_Him_… Facing on the other way… Still with the same navy blue shirt and white pants.

Suddenly, he turned back and looked straight at her, "What's with the look?" he smirked, "It's annoying…"

The next thing she knew, she was running towards them, and pulled them all in a deep hug, as she felt hot water running down her soft cheeks. She realized that and cupped her cheeks. Her skin wasn't full of wrinkles anymore, but it was just like what it was when she was a teenager. Slowly she looked up at _her boys_.

"Don't leave me again, promise?"

The three of them nodded and said that they're promised. Sakura once more smiled and bear-hugged each of them. After moments of hugs, she turned to Sasuke and looked at him in the eyes.

"… The thing you said before… Uhm, are you serious?"

He smirked again, before pulling her into a warm embrace, "What do you think?"

"I'm not sure… Do you mind to say it again?"

He silenced for a moment and bended his head and rested it on Sakura's head.

"I'll say it as much as you want… Or until you get bored of hearing it… Don't worry, we will have plenty of time," he motioned her to turn around. Sakura looked back and found warm eyes and friendly smiles facing her. Blue eyes, white eyes, brown eyes… All of them, her friends, they're there…

"… _Minna… Hontou ni gomenasai_, for lying on you guys…" She bowed her head, but a warm hand touched her shoulders. She looked up and met Ino's blue eyes.

"No worry, it's okay… Forehead girl!"

She smiled and hugged the girl in front of her, "Thank you… Ino-pig!"

* * *

… _Because I know, I've found my own paradise, right here, with them_…

* * *

A brown haired girl looked down to a gray stone below her and smiled;

**はるの さくら**  
a friend, a sister, a survivor, a hero

"Goodbye, Auntie…" and she left.

* * *

**- Minna, hontou ni gomenasai** : everybody, I really am sorry  
- the Japanese fonts are Haruno Sakura

There done! This is my first fic, so be kind and give some R&R, kay? :D


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